Chapter 215: Searching for Yuchang

“Zhu Yuan was his alias. His real name was Zhuang Ze.”

“As soon as Zhuang Ze arrived in Shanghai, he was targeted by agents of the Party Affairs Investigation Department.”

“After being arrested, Zhuang Ze failed to withstand the torture and disgracefully betrayed the Party.”

“The enemy took Zhuang Ze around with them to identify people.”

“He had met Old Liao while serving in the Anti-Japanese United Army.”

“According to his confession, he accidentally spotted Old Liao... and identified him to the enemy.”

Peng Yu’ou spoke in a low voice.

Cheng Qianfan listened in silence.

His heart felt as though it were being cut by knives.

Although he had long suspected as much, hearing the facts confirmed exactly as he had feared, that Old Liao had indeed been betrayed by a traitor because of such a “coincidence” and ultimately sacrificed his life, was still difficult for Cheng Qianfan to accept.

Old Liao.

His entire family had resisted Japan, a household full of martyrs.

The army of Manchukuo could not kill him.

The Japanese punitive expeditions could not eliminate him.

The South Manchuria Railway spies never captured him.

Yet he had silently perished here in Shanghai.

Seeing Cheng Qianfan’s reddened eyes, Peng Yu’ou patted his shoulder and let out a long sigh.

“Who carried it out?” Cheng Qianfan asked through clenched teeth.

When Jin Kemu had hosted a gathering at Yingbin Restaurant, Ma Yishou had recounted the Avenue Joffre shooting incident.

At that time, Cheng Qianfan had learned that the Party Affairs Investigation Department was responsible for Old Liao’s death.

However, he did not know who had personally carried it out.

“According to Zhuang Ze’s confession, the people who arrested him and later led the operation against Old Liao all belonged to the Third Action Unit of the Shanghai Special District of the Party Affairs Investigation Department.”

Peng Yu’ou spoke heavily.

“The team leader was Wang Kangnian, leader of Unit Three. The order to open fire on Old Liao was given by Deputy Leader Ding Naifei.”

Seeing Cheng Qianfan’s grief and anger, Peng Yu’ou understood his feelings.

Nevertheless, he solemnly warned him.

“Comrade Flame, we are all deeply saddened by Old Liao’s sacrifice. Sooner or later we will collect this blood debt from those murderers who killed our comrades. However, you must not act on your own.”

Cheng Qianfan’s fists clenched, relaxed, then clenched again.

Finally, he nodded.

“Secretary Peng, don’t worry. I understand Party discipline. I absolutely will not act without authorization.”

Peng Yu’ou nodded.

He trusted Comrade Flame.

Though young, he was also a veteran and outstanding warrior of the Red cause.

“Comrade Flame, the organization has a mission for you.”

Peng Yu’ou said.

“Please issue the organization’s orders.”

Cheng Qianfan immediately replied.

He did not say he guaranteed success.

He was an undercover agent.

Unless the organization explicitly ordered him to complete a mission at all costs, his foremost task was preserving himself.

Yes, in an undercover agent’s understanding, “at all costs” meant:

He himself could be sacrificed.

“More than a month ago, the enemy secretly murdered a group of our comrades in Longhua.”

Peng Yu’ou spoke in a grave tone.

“Among the fallen comrades was a young man named Xie Wenzhang. His father, Comrade Xie Tianhua, was also killed in Longhua during the April 12 Incident.”

Hearing this, Cheng Qianfan glanced at Peng Yu’ou.

Looking at the sorrow on his face, Cheng Qianfan himself was overwhelmed by grief.

Father and son had both died in Longhua, nine years apart.

“Along with Comrade Xie Wenzhang, his wife, Comrade Ge Cuimin, was also arrested.”

“Comrade Ge Cuimin was pregnant. According to our intelligence, she endured severe torture during enemy interrogations and remained steadfast. Her current condition, whether alive or dead, is unknown.”

“Bastards!”

Unable to restrain himself, Cheng Qianfan slammed his fist onto the table.

“The organization hopes you can find a way to investigate Comrade Ge Cuimin’s situation.”

“First, we must determine whether Comrade Ge Cuimin has been killed and what her physical condition is.”

Peng Yu’ou’s expression was solemn and serious.

“Comrade Xie Tianhua and Comrade Xie Wenzhang both sacrificed themselves for the revolution. We must do everything possible to rescue Comrade Ge Cuimin.”

Cheng Qianfan remained silent.

He did not rush to respond.

He was thinking.

“It will be difficult.”

He gritted his teeth.

“Unless I use my connections within the Special Service Office...”

“Absolutely not.”

Peng Yu’ou immediately objected.

To rescue one comrade by placing another comrade in entirely foreseeable danger was absolutely unacceptable.

Flame could not have any connection whatsoever with the Red cause inside enemy ranks.

Not even discreet inquiries were acceptable.

You are an agent of the Special Service Office.

Why would you suddenly ask about an arrested Communist?

What are you trying to do?

Why are you asking?

Previously, the Shanghai Communists had their own comrades within the Shanghai Police Bureau.

They had even infiltrated the Longhua Garrison Command.

However, beginning three years ago and continuing through year after year, day after day of massive crackdowns, the organization had suffered devastating losses.

Far too many comrades had fallen.

Those on the clandestine front, in particular, had almost none who escaped unharmed.

“I will do everything possible to gather information.”

Cheng Qianfan looked at Peng Yu’ou seriously.

Seeing the concern in his eyes, he continued:

“Secretary Peng, don’t worry. The police station and the Party Affairs Investigation Department have official dealings. That can be used. I will be careful.”

“Be careful in everything.”

Peng Yu’ou said earnestly.

“Yes.”

The night was deep.

Cheng Qianfan walked through the darkness.

The brim of his hat was pulled low.

His footsteps were light.

He had officially met Peng Yu’ou.

He once again had a superior within the organization.

He should have been happy.

Yet learning the true reason behind Old Liao’s sacrifice from Peng Yu’ou left a heavy weight in his heart.

He took out a cigarette case, removed a cigarette, and lit it.

Drawing deeply, he exhaled a cloud of smoke.

Before his eyes, he seemed once again to see that elderly man.

An ordinary old man, yet one possessing an incomparably resolute revolutionary will.

His entire family had sacrificed themselves for the nation in its hour of peril.

The stories of Xie Tianhua and Xie Wenzhang, the father and son martyrs he had never met, also filled him with sorrow.

And there was Comrade Ge Cuimin, pregnant and of unknown fate.

He worried for her deeply.

He had to do everything possible to complete the task assigned by the organization and strive to rescue this comrade successfully.

In Cheng Qianfan’s heart, this went beyond organizational duty.

Ge Cuimin’s plight reminded him of his own mother, who had also been pregnant and ultimately faced death calmly alongside his father.

Cheng Qianfan was very satisfied with the organization’s decision to assign Peng Yu’ou as his superior.

They had cooperated many times before.

He knew Peng Yu’ou was an experienced revolutionary leader, highly capable and personally charismatic.

Their previous cooperation had been nearly seamless.

When reporting his work today, he had concealed his identity as Chenzhou of the Central Special Branch Red Team.

This was not intentional concealment.

It was a requirement from the Central Committee.

During his previous meeting with his elder sister, he had learned that after the devastating losses suffered during last year’s major crackdown, the Central Committee had already formally dissolved the Central Special Branch.

Of course, the organization itself still existed and remained under Comrade Xiangwu’s control.

It had merely changed its name.

In a sense, the codename Chenzhou of the Central Special Branch Red Team had been temporarily sealed away.

Whether it would be reactivated depended upon orders from headquarters.

However, that was not the only reason the organization had ordered him to conceal that identity.

The Red Team of the Central Special Branch reported directly to the Central Committee leadership and was connected to numerous secrets.

The codename Chenzhou alone represented many confidential matters.

Furthermore, during his meeting with his elder sister, she had conveyed instructions from the Central Committee.

Several of those words might have seemed ordinary to her.

But to Cheng Qianfan’s ears, they were Red Team code language.

It was a secret order:

Find Comrade Yuchang of the Central Special Branch Red Team!

Investigate his identity, and if he proves reliable, bring him back into the team!